How to Study for DAT General Chemistry (2026)

General Chemistry is 30 of the 100 questions in the DAT Survey of Natural Sciences. The concepts are manageable for anyone who has taken introductory chemistry, but the section has a hidden difficulty that catches students off guard: you have no full calculator, so slow arithmetic quietly costs you time and points.

What DAT General Chemistry covers

Expect the standard introductory sequence: stoichiometry, atomic and electronic structure, periodic trends, bonding, gas laws, thermochemistry, kinetics, equilibrium, acids and bases, solutions, and basic electrochemistry. It is a broad but predictable list, and the questions favor conceptual understanding plus quick calculation over obscure trivia.

The no-calculator problem

This is the part students underestimate. The DAT gives you only a basic on-screen calculator, so problems are designed to be solved with estimation, simplification, and clean exponent handling rather than heavy computation. If you reach for long arithmetic on every quantitative question, you will run out of time. Getting fast and comfortable with mental simplification and exponent rules is as important as knowing the chemistry itself.

A study approach that works

1. 1
   Review concepts topic by topic.

   Work through a full gen chem review so you are not surprised by any category on test day.
2. 2
   Drill the math separately.

   Practice simplification, estimation, and exponent rules until quick mental math is automatic. This is a distinct skill from the chemistry.
3. 3
   Do untimed practice first, then timed.

   Build accuracy before speed. Once you solve a problem type reliably untimed, add the clock.
4. 4
   Memorize the equations you cannot derive.

   Gas laws, equilibrium expressions, and key constants should be instant recall so you spend time solving, not remembering.
5. 5
   Review misses by category.

   Track whether a miss was a concept gap or a math slip. They need different fixes.

The best resources for DAT General Chemistry

DAT Booster and DAT Bootcamp both provide thorough General Chemistry lessons, formula sheets, and large timed question banks, and either is a solid choice for this section. Their question banks are especially useful because they train you on the exact style of quick, no-calculator problem the DAT favors. General Chemistry is not our specialty, so a full-DAT bundle is the right tool here.

How General Chemistry fits your plan

Gen Chem shares the 90-minute Survey of Natural Sciences with Biology and Organic Chemistry, so your pacing has to hold across all three. See the Survey of Natural Sciences guide and the full section breakdown.

If your content sections are solid and Reading Comprehension is dragging your composite down, RC is usually the faster place to gain points, because it is a trainable skill rather than another memorization load. That is what we focus on. See how to practice DAT RC.

Try our RC question bank free or see pricing.